MORE EPHEMEROL - Obituary Templates (Digital single) (Blank City Records) Los Angeles synth act More Ephemerol consists of members Sea Fjerstad and Tamara Sky. Founder and synth freak Chad Fjerstad has already previously released a tape album, Fractal Bath, under the More Ephemerol moniker, featuring an array of experimental compositions by Sea,. The new material however ditches all digital instruments and adds the voice and presence of Sky to the equation, establishing More Ephemerol as a strictly analog synth duo, delivering a newly focused sound inspired by the likes of proto-new wave/minimal wave favorites such as Experimental Products, The Modern Mannequins, Turquoise Days, Oppenheimer Analysis and early Human League. The song feels familiar but gets a fresh sound polish due Matia Simovich of INHALT mixing/producing work. [JB] OCTOLAB - Mystery Park (CD/Digital) The woozy second time is always, for an artist, the equivalent of the casting out nines procedure in math: expectations are there in spades and artistic freedom equally wants to have all the super powers in its crate. Octolab must have known that with this Mystery Park, their second adventure made of bouncy electronic and churning rhythms and their creation, scheduled to be donated to the world from the 20th of march, reflects considerable amount of self-doubts and will to drastically change direction. The new work by Arielle Andersson and Fredrik Lundvall Kindsäter entrusts its overture to Out in the cold, with its arithmetic beats falling over an overheard zigzag of sounds layers, filtered by an ethnic use of English. The atmosphere is far from being haughty despite of its metal bones and harsh spectrum of sounds, which is definitely pleasant ... [AQ] REALITY’S DISPEAR - Melancholic Disposition (CD/Digital) Reality’s Despair is one of those bands that keep the Belgian EBM tradition alive. With yet another gem, called Melancholic Disposition, this Antwerp Dark-Electro / EBM project is launching once again some very danceable, black-lacquered beats. After their previous album, released in the spring of 2019, this Melancholic Disposition flashes us back to the old 90s dark electro echoes in all its glory. Opener ‘Bootes Void’, for example, is a top notch stomper track. Deep dark beats with a melody nicely woven through and vocals like being ripped apart by barbed wire. In fact, the same could be said about all song on this release. They all have immensely strong foundations, while very tense beats and firm bass lines hit you in the face time and time again. And yet this album still sounds extremely varied and this variety can also be very entertaining. who, along with his cousin, has wrecked stages all over the world. Reality’s Despair is back to claim their place out there. Another powerful, Dark-Electro / EBM release to be remembered! [JB] (Self-Released) CHRISTIAN WOLZ - La Fore (Digital) (Self-Released) Christian Wolz. He is a German vocal artist who was introduced to me by Ward De Prins, founder of Peek-A-Boo magazine and dear friend. Ward and I both had a fascination for the human voice, and its potential. Exactly two years ago I read a commemoration text at Ward’s funeral. Since 2018 my birthday will always be connected to him. Christian composed a song in his honour. It was played at the funeral: a meaningful tribute to someone who had a passion for alternative music. No coincidence to be found in the title of Wolz’ new album: “La Fore – (goodbye / dead)”... The music and vocal art of Christian Wolz is not accessible for everyone. It requires focus and an open mind. His work remains unique. My genuine respect for the true authentic way in which this Berlin based artist remains faithful to his musical muses. Ward would certainly agree! “Man is light and darkness”: darkness for the loss of Ward, light for the fascinating and intriguing music that brought us together. [TP] www.peek-a-boo-magazine.be - 14 -
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